It is known to sterilize articles with a vaporized chemical sterilant, such as hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid and glutaraldehyde. Wu et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,102, incorporated herein by reference, describes a hydrogen peroxide/gas plasma sterilization system comprising a vacuum chamber, source of hydrogen peroxide vapor and a source of RF energy to create a plasma. Such systems marketed under the name STERRAD® are available from Advanced Sterilization Products division of Ethicon, Inc. in Irvine, Calif.
Rapid and efficient vaporization of a liquid sterilant solution to produce the sterilant vapor speeds the overall sterilization process, ensures complete vaporization and ensures that the vaporization phase of a sterilization cycle completes in a timely and repeatable fashion.